A prominent minister has risked incurring the wrath of his leader and chancellor after he today advised publicans on how to challenge government's plans to continue raising alcohol tax.

In a highly unusual move, licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe told an industry magazine that licensees were "right to be upset" by Alistair Darling's announcement that he will raise the duty by the rate of inflation plus 2% every year until 2012.

He then proceeded to encourage landlords to galvanise themselves into a coherent force and focus on how other lobby groups have forced his government to back down on controversial tax rises.

The words of advice are unlikely to please Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling while the economic crisis continues to deplete Treasury coffers, and critics are using the minister's comments to try and prove the government is unravelling.

Sutcliffe gave the controversial advice in an interview with the Morning Advertiser magazine, published today.

He said: "I think the industry's right to be upset. We, and I speak as a champion of the pub trade, want the chancellor to change his mind."

"We've had examples like the fuel levy where the impact on a sector has been massive and decision has been deferred.

"I'm not saying that will happen, but that's where the trade needs to focus the basis of its argument."

"The next opportunity will be the pre-budget report in November. But the industry has seriously got to get its act together in working out what its priorities are."

He told the paper licensees were letting themselves down on lobbying: "The industry's problem is that it's not united. My message is: sort yourselves out.

"What the industry's got to do is say, 'That wasn't helpful, but if we do this and this and become more proactive, and more positive, we'll get where we need to be.'"

Justine Greening, Treasury spokesman for the Conservatives, said: "This is more evidence that the government is unravelling, when even its own ministers don't support the tax rises that the government introduced in the last budget.

"The tax rises on alcohol will hit millions of responsible drinkers, and won't to anything to tackle binge drinking. Gerry Sutcliffe is right to say that the chancellor should perform yet another U-turn and change his mind on this ill-thought-out policy."

Jane Kennedy, a Treasury minister, attempted to play down Sutcliffe's comments, saying: "We are part of a government where there is a lively discussion about all of these issues."

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, where Sutcliffe is minister responsible for licensing, joined in the damage-limitation exercise.

A spokesman said: "Duty rates are a matter for the Treasury. As licensing minister, Gerry Sutcliffe was challenging the industry to respond to the changing market in order to secure its future success."

In a second statement put out later by the DCMS, Sutcliffe said: "My comments do not accurately reflect my views. I fully support the tax measures in the budget, and the chancellor's decisions on tax.

"Alcohol duty increases will go towards helping some of the poorest members of our society."